A CONSERVATIVE win in the 2019 council elections has been predicted by those pointing out that, over recent years, political control has tended to change at each election.

However, because elections are two years away, there’s hardly any impetus to the current administration to improve.

Brighton and Hove used to be separate borough councils and many key public services were run by East Sussex County Council.

There were elections to the county council every fourth year.

In each of the other years there were borough elections. Councillors served four-year terms in rotation.

This meant that in each of the years designated for borough elections, only a third of councillors would be up for election.

This system had real benefits, both in keeping political parties on their toes and in making the councils accountable.

The present system of four-yearly elections allows councillors huge latitude, but yearly elections force them to take responsibility for their actions.

Voters have it in their power to deliver a bloody nose to any council that has become arrogant or complacent.

It is also possible to hold idle or corrupt councillors to individual account - and for conscientious ones to be recognized.

Another great benefit of yearly elections is that newly elected councillors can be supported and mentored by more experienced councillors.

This makes for stable governance and avoids the dangerous situation where a large number of very inexperienced councillors take over an administration, only to face a strategic power grab by unelected council officers, who ought themselves to be accountable to elected councillors.

Four-yearly elections offer opportunities to self-serving councillors and council officers, but nothing at all to democracy.

  • Jean Calder is a campaigner